Handling the Media in a Crisis
This two-part live online crisis skills course covers how to engage the press during a PR crisis and how to take control of communication in the crucial early moments after a negative news event. You will learn to activate crisis systems and develop positioning rapidly, take charge of the news media, and manage the online space. Topics include crisis protocols, rapid message creation and videotaped interview coaching.
Two half-days | Wednesday-Thursday | 10:00-14:00 London time | Live on Zoom | US$600
Course outline
Crisis preparation
This module covers how to plan and prepare for a crisis.
- Three stages of crisis management
- Systems and preparation before a crisis
- Mapping issues
- Enabling factors for rapid response
Crisis response and positioning
This module covers how to create and deploy effective and appropriate core messaging for negative news events.
- Universal principles of crisis messaging
- Response process in a crisis
- Proforma positioning
- Techniques for rapid message development
- Best practice examples of crisis response and positioning
The media in a crisis
This module covers how to engage with the press in the high-pressure scenario of a reputational crisis.
- How journalists cover crises
- Crisis news angles
- News dynamics in a crisis
- Strategic engagement with journalists in a crisis
Messaging, statements and Q&As
This module covers how to develop all of the essential crisis communications collateral needed when engaging with the media.
- Crisis messaging best practice
- Developing pro-forma crisis messages
- Press releases vs statements in a crisis
- Creating pro-forma Q&A documents
Reviews
What you will learn
After this course you will be able to:
- Manage your organisation’s communication during and after an event that threatens its reputation
- Create crisis messages, positioning and response tactics response rapidly and decisively
- Engage confidently with journalists and in online social media at the height of a negative news crisis
- Represent your organisation effectively even in the most challenging of crisis interviews
Who should attend?
This is an intermediate-level course designed for anyone who may be involved in managing the communications response to a crisis affecting their organisation, either behind the scenes or as a spokesperson.
